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The use of texts is an indispensable resource for students’ learning, especially in science domains. While developing understanding of a specific topic usually is the main goal of reading expository texts, an important consideration is how to best measure whether this understanding has been reached. In this study, we aimed to analyze gains in students’ reading comprehension based on reading three expository texts on chemistry and physics topics. By means of a pre–post design, we assessed the reading comprehension of 261 eighth grade students with regard to three levels of reading comprehension. Latent change scores were estimated to analyze changes in students’ total test scores, while also calculating difference scores based on the single items. Results indicate that students’ topic-related comprehension increases from pre- to posttest, while gains seem to be limited to word and sentence level questions. In line with other studies, these findings stress that students would benefit from explicit strategy instruction, at least when learning from reading is the goal of using science texts in classrooms.

Do children, like most adults, believe that only kin and close others are obligated to help oneanother? In two studies (total N = 1140), we examined whether children (~5- to ~10-yos) andadults across five different societies consider social relationship when ascribing prosocialobligations. Contrary to the view that such discriminations are a natural default in humanreasoning, younger children in the United States (Studies 1 and 2) and across cultures (Study 2)generally judged everyone—parents, friends, and strangers—as obligated to help someone-inneed.Older children and adults, on the other hand, tended to exhibit more discriminant judgments.They considered parents more obligated to help than friends followed by strangers—though thiseffect was stronger in some cultures than others. Our findings suggest that children’s initial senseof prosocial obligation in social-relational contexts starts out broad and generally becomes moreselective over the course of development.

ZusammenfassungLesemotivation ist von Bedeutung für Leseleistung und ist interindividuell unterschiedlich ausgeprägt. Jedoch ist bislang wenig bekannt über Veränderungen unterschiedlicher Lesemotivationsmuster und die Bedeutung des Geschlechts, der Leseleistung und der Unterrichtsgestaltung für solche Veränderungen. Mittels dieser Erkenntnisse könnten adaptive Lernangebote ausgeweitet werden. Die vorliegende Längsschnittstudie greift diese Frage auf und untersucht basierend auf Daten von N = 1313 Lernenden (50,0 % Mädchen) in der 5. und 6. Jahrgangsstufe, wie sich Wertüberzeugungen und Leseselbstkonzept interindividuell unterschiedlich verändern. Latente Profilanalysen verweisen auf drei motivationale Muster zu beiden Zeitpunkten: ‚Geringer intrinsischer Wert‘, ‚Moderate Lesemotivation‘ und ‚Hohe Lesemotivation‘. Hohe Lehrkraftunterstützung trägt dazu bei, dass Lernende im Verlauf des fünften Schuljahres in das Profil ‚Hohe Lesemotivation‘ statt in das Motivationsprofil ‚Geringer intrinsischer Wert‘ wechseln. Mädchen und Lernende mit hoher Leseleistung wechseln eher in das Profil ‚Hohe Lesemotivation‘ statt in das Profil ‚Moderate Lesemotivation‘. Implikationen für Unterricht werden diskutiert.

Previous research repeatedly illustrated that reading comprehension is essential for learning science and performances in both domains correlate highly. Because students with specific learning disorders with impairments in reading (SLD-IR) show deficits in reading comprehension, it seems reasonable to assume that this group may struggle to perform in other academic domains, such as science. As language in science is characterized by linguistic complexity, the question arises whether students with SLD-IR can be supported by reducing linguistic complexity. To address this lacuna, we aim to investigate in this registered report whether students with SLD-IR benefit more from linguistic simplification in science than their peers without SLD-IR. In an experimental study, we will present students with science items in an original version, inspired by academic language and a linguistically simplified version. We hypothesize that all students will benefit from simplification, but that students with SLD-IR will benefit to a higher degree. We will analyse our data by applying a multilevel logistic regression model.

This study examined the associations between classmates' reading-related gender stereotypes and students' reading self-efficacy, self-concept, motivation, and achievement. Our sample consisted of 1,508 fifth-grade students (49% girls; age: 10.89 years); data were collected at two time points. Multilevel analyses yielded two main results: First, there was a relation between students' individual reading-related gender stereotypes and their reading self-concept, self-efficacy, and motivation with boys experiencing negative and girls experiencing positive effects. Second, a contextual effect was found: after controlling for students' individual reading-related gender stereotypes, classmates' gender stereotypes were negatively related to all of the boys' reading outcomes. The results provide evidence for the assumption that classmates are important communicators of gender stereotypes and that they reinforce conforming behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reading comprehension is an essential skill for learning in general and in science classes. Problems with reading comprehension might hinder students’ participation in learning science. Text in science includes specific language features that distinguishes it from narrative text, so should reading instruction be part of teaching science? The direct and inferential mediation (DIME) model of reading comprehension subsumes factors that influence reading comprehension. It was tested separately regarding narrative text as well as expository text in English; however, both have not been tested by directly comparing them to each other. In this study, we investigated to what degree general reading comprehension of narrative text is directly comparable to topic-specific reading comprehension of science text. Hence, first the applicability of the DIME model of reading comprehension in another language (i.e. German) was tested. Second, a general reading comprehension model was directly compared to a topic-specific model for reading comprehension of science text. Participants across the two studies were 704 German Grade 8 students who completed measures of comprehension and the DIME predictor variables. Results of two path analyses indicate the general applicability of the model for another language and additionally for both genres. However, some differences are highlighted that may be of importance in future science-specific studies as well as for teaching science.

Research shows that gender differences tend to exist in student motivational-affective factors in core subjects such as math, science or reading, where one gender is stereotypically disadvantaged.This study aimed to investigate strategies that could reduce these gender differences by conducting a meta-analysis on school-based intervention studies that targeted student motivational-affective factors. We therefore evaluated whether interventions had differential effects for male and female students' motivational-affective factors in a given academic subject. We also evaluated potential moderator variables.After conducting a systematic database search and screening abstracts for inclusion, we synthesized 71 effect sizes from 20 primary studies. All included studies were conducted in science or mathematics-related subjects, which are stereotypically female-disadvantaged.While the interventions had significant positive effects for both genders, there was no statistically significant difference between the two genders with regard to the intervention effects on motivational-affective factors. However, the descriptive effect size for female students (g = .49) was far greater than for male students (g = .28). Moderator analyses showed no significant effects for grade level, intervention duration, or school subject, but there was a significant influence of intervention method used.This study demonstrated that school-based interventions have positive effects on motivational-affective factors for both genders. It also provides evidence that interventions in subjects where female students are stereotypically disadvantaged may have greater effects for females than for males. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Stereotype threat is a possible reason for difficulties faced by girls and women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The threat experienced due to gender can cause elevated worry during performance situations. That is, if the stereotype that women are not as good as men in math becomes salient, this stereotype activation draws women's attention to task-irrelevant worry caused by the fear of conforming to the negative stereotype. Increased worry can reduce cognitive resources, potentially leading to performance decrements. We argue that such worry is more pronounced immediately after an unrelated self-control demand, which is assumed to temporarily decrease people's self-control exertion over their attention and stream of thought (i.e., relatively low self-control capacity). This prediction was examined in an experiment conducted with 102 participating university students enrolled in courses in which math plays a crucial role. After the manipulation of self-control capacity (low vs. high), stereotype threat was induced for the female students, but not the male students. Then, the students were asked to report their thoughts during a math performance situation (i.e., written thought protocols) three times. Multiple-group autoregressive path models revealed that when self-control capacity was relatively low, female compared with male students reported more intense worry in the initial two thought protocols. In contrast, in the relatively high self-control capacity condition, female and male students did not differ significantly in their reported worry at any time. These results expand on previous findings, suggesting that threat effects depend on definable situational self-control conditions.

Science performance is highly affected by students’ reading comprehension. Recently, there has been a growing attention to the role of linguistic features for science performance, but findings are ambivalent, especially when looking into item word count. The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction of students’ reading comprehension and item word count of given science measures on performance, controlling for students’ cognitive abilities, gender, family language, and school track. The sample consisted of N = 2051 German students in grades 10 and 11. Students completed (scientific) literacy measures. We then applied a multilevel logistic regression to investigate the hypothesized interaction effect of reading comprehension and word count on students’ science performance. The results showed a significant interaction of students’ reading comprehension and word count on science performance, controlling for several covariates. Particularly students with high reading comprehension benefit from science items with increasing word count. Our findings empirically support previous research, showing that reading comprehension is crucial for science performance and enhances the interaction between reading comprehension and linguistic features of written text in science subjects. Finally, theoretical and practical implications and limitations of this study are discussed.

Zusammenfassung. In Leistungssituationen sind Personen angehalten Selbstkontrolle aufzuwenden, um ihre Aufmerksamkeit, Gedanken und Emotionen zielgerichtet zu regulieren. Selbstkontrolle wird als begrenzte mentale Kapazität betrachtet, die situativen Fluktuationen unterliegt und sich kurzfristig erschöpfen kann. In dieser Validierungsstudie stellen wir eine 5-Item-Skala zur Messung der momentan verfügbaren Selbstkontrollkapazität (SMS-5) basierend auf der State Self-Control Capacity Scale (SSCCS) vor, mit dem Ziel auch in kurzen zeitlichen Abständen intra- und interindividuelle Variabilitäten der momentan verfügbaren Selbstkontrollkapazität (d. h. die Ausprägung der empfundenen mentalen Erschöpfung) ökonomisch abzubilden und externe Kriterien im Lern- und Leistungskontext valide vorherzusagen. Die interne Struktur der SMS-5 erwies sich in Stichproben von Auszubildenden ( N = 2 395), Zehntklässlerinnen und Zehntklässlern ( N = 129) und Studierenden ( N = 95; N = 140) als eindimensional. Zusammenfassend zeichnete sich die SMS-5 als valides, reliables, über Ausbildungsgruppen, Geschlecht und Zeit invariantes und änderungssensitives Instrument zur ökonomischen Messung der momentan verfügbaren Selbstkontrollkapazität im Lern- und Leistungskontext ab, das gegenüber der SSCCS in der Vorhersage externer Kriterien vergleichbar gut abschnitt. Die SMS-5 empfiehlt sich besonders, um durch kurzfristig wiederholte Messungen, Veränderungen der Selbstkontrollkapazität im zeitlichen Verlauf von Lern- und Leistungshandlungen abzubilden.

Following expectancy-value theory, we investigated the role parents' reading-related gender stereotypes favoring girls play in explaining students' reading-related competence beliefs, intrinsic task values, and achievement. Drawing on a sample of 1508 students (49% girls, age at T1: 10.89 years) from 60 schools in Germany, we collected data at the beginning of Grade 5 and in the second half of Grade 6 using parent and student questionnaires. Structural equation modeling yielded two main results: First, parents' gender stereotypes favoring girls in reading and their sons' reading-related competence beliefs and intrinsic task values were negatively related. Second, we found indirect effects from parents' gender stereotypes through boys' reading-related intrinsic task values and competence beliefs to boys' reading achievement. Our results provide evidence for the assumption that parents' gender stereotypes are important in the perpetuation of gender differences, as they may affect the development of children's competence beliefs, intrinsic task values, and achievement.

Studies provide evidence that distress, (health) anxiety, and depressive symptoms were high during the first weeks of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, decreasing over time (possibly due to individuals’ protective psychological factors). Relations between different lockdown restrictions, mental health issues, and protective factors need to be explored, since even small lockdown effects might increase the risk of future mental health issues. We merged objective lockdown stringency data with individual data (N = 1001) to examine differences in lockdown effects in strict lockdown (Romania) and mild lockdown (Hungary) conditions between March and May 2020 on stressors and mental health symptoms, taking protective factors into account. The stricter lockdown in Romania revealed higher levels of perceived risk of infection, distress intolerance, and COVID-19 health anxiety. Protective psychological factors were not affected by the lockdown measures. Surpassing psychological flexibility and resilient coping, self-control proved to be the most promising protective factor. It is recommended that future research merge objective data with study data to investigate the effects of different COVID-19 lockdown measures on mental health and protective factors. Policy decisions should consider lockdown-dependent consequences of mental health issues. Intervention programs are suggested to mitigate mental health issues and to strengthen peoples’ protective psychological factors.

Currently, there is no standard treatment protocol for apical periodontitis (AP). Thus, restorable teeth might get extracted and replaced prosthetically. This study evaluated German dentists&rsquo, preferred AP treatment decisions and the influencing factors for selecting tooth retention by initial/repeated surgical/non-surgical root-canal treatment (RCT) or extraction with/without prosthetic replacement. Through an online-survey, participants (n = 260) rated different treatment options for four case scenarios with AP in anterior/posterior teeth without/with previous RCT. Statistical analysis included the Friedman test for intra-case comparisons and Chi-squared test for factor-associations (p &le, 0.05). Tooth retention using initial/repeated RCT was ranked first in all scenarios and rated as (very) appropriate by most participants, while implant-supported crowns (ISC) and apicoectomy had the second ratings. ISC were preferred more on posterior teeth or previous root-canal-treated teeth. Rating levels of treatment options displayed significant differences for all case scenarios. Posterior tooth retention by RCT demonstrated a significant association with work experience. Tooth retention with previous RCT displayed a significant correlation with dentists&rsquo, privately insured patients. Most dentists preferred tooth preserving with initial/repeated RCT, while others selected non-evidence-based choices. This reflects a lack of consensus of AP treatment decisions in Germany. Fixed treatment guidelines and further evaluation of treatment&ndash, decision-correlated factors are recommended for correct treatment planning.

Fachtexte stellen Lesende im Unterricht bekanntermasen vor grose Herausforderungen. Es wird regelmasig bemangelt, dass die Texte aufgrund ihrer Gestaltung nicht fur die Zielgruppe geeignet seien. Eine Moglichkeit, dem zu begegnen, ist die sprachliche Veranderung der Texte, hierfur gibt es aus der Textverstandnisforschung auch belegte Empfehlungen. In dem hier vorgestellten Projekt wurden solche Masnahmen zur Vereinfachung der Texte in den Fachern Physik und Chemie eingesetzt und in drei aufeinanderfolgenden experimentellen Studien in randomisierten Gruppenvergleichen in einem Pra-Post-Design untersucht. Es zeigt sich erwartungswidrig, dass die hier angewandten Masnahmen die Textverstandlichkeit nicht beeinflussen – die Lesenden lernen aus allen Variationen gleich viel. Dies ist einerseits ermutigend, weil offensichtlich bestimmte Eigenschaften der Fachtexte unproblematisch sind. Andererseits ergibt sich damit die Frage, wie sich das Textverstandnis stattdessen verbessern lasst.

Bei der Evaluation der Bildungsstandards in den naturwissenschaftlichen Fachern sieht das Itemdesign vor, benotigtes Vorwissen innerhalb der Testung vorzugeben und damit auch im Sinne einer Kompetenzorientierung Umgang mit Fachwissen zu evaluieren. Dies setzt voraus, dass die Schulerinnen und Schuler die Informationen angemessen rezipieren. Es wird daher angenommen, dass schriftsprachliche Fahigkeiten eine zentrale Rolle fur die Erfassung physikbezogener Kompetenzen in Leistungstests spielen, zumal einige Items schriftliche Antworten verlangen. Der vorliegende Beitrag geht daher der Frage nach, in welchem Umfang schriftsprachliche Fahigkeiten im Zusammenhang mit den Ergebnissen der Evaluation der Bildungsstandards im Kompetenzbereich Umgang mit Fachwissen des Fachs Physik steht. Die Studie zeigt an einer Stichprobe von N = 1961 Auszubildenden mittels Vergleich logistischer Modelle auf, dass die Items der Bildungsstandards von schriftsprachlichen Fahigkeiten beeinflusst werden. Ferner wiesen Items mit offenem Format im Mittel eine hohere Itemschwierigkeit auf im Vergleich zu Items mit geschlossenem Format, wobei sich eine Interaktion zwischen Antwortformat und schriftsprachlichen Fahigkeiten andeutet.

In this dissertation, I pursued two overarching goals. First, in two empirical studies, I demonstrated the advantages of analyzing interest stability and person-environment congruence of trainees in vocational education and training as well as interest similarity within families on the level of interest profiles. I was able to show that both interest profiles and P-E congruence are relatively stable over time and that family members have significantly similar interest profiles over and above gender-normativeness. Second, I conducted two validation studies of a new instrument to assess vocational interests in the sense of the spherical model of vocational interests-a logical extension of the RIASEC model-which uses a more differentiated categorization of the circumplex and introduces a third dimension (Prestige): the Personal Globe Inventory (PGI) and its associated short version (PGI-S). In sum, I found evidence for the instruments' structural, convergent, and criterion based validity, the equivalence of these validity markers across versions, but also some crucial differences between PGI and PGI-S that primarily concern the Prestige dimension. Taken together, this thesis demonstrates challenges, advantages, and potential solutions of a profile-centered perspective on vocational interest research. I was able to shed some new light on central applied questions about vocational interest development in adolescence and presented a new instrument for German interest researchers that makes it possible to reliably and validly assess more elaborate vocational interest profiles.